'300 'Tear your heart with the death, but released them soon with its glory. It is a must-see film.

With "300", all the warriors who is willing, for the honor "would have some wild night." Every citizen, freedom talks "would be set." Forall others, "it would be an influential and uncompromising experience in the field of battle."

Like the 300 Spartans, the simple story of the film is really a tour de force. It leaves people with a sense of power and bravery. It elevates the spirit, in every respect. The involvement of the fight scenes make the audience share a part of the struggle and bloodshed - as if all eyes are witness to the battle actually a part of it, as if the viewer is one of the bravest warriors in themiddle of the battlefield. Indeed, it is a force to reckon.

Based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, '300 'is a wild, wild and terrible film. Director Zack Snyder them again with passion and creativity. A blink of an eye means a loss of a number of valuable paintings. Also immediately before the start of the film the first few seconds of the opening billboard will capture your soul with its audio-visual splendor. And every single shot that has been drivencan so faithfully from the source to make every audience member had jaw. The dialogue is as brilliant as the sound and picture. The characterization vividly merges with the stylized treatment. In fact, "300" is a visually captivating retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae where King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and his 300 Spartan warriors fought to the death against King Xerxes and his massive Persian army. The story captures the nature of the emotions, the nature of the drawInspire of these courageous men brought all of Greece to unite against the Persian enemy and live with freedom and democracy. It effectuates the desperate nature of heroism and sacrifice in one of the most inspiring accounts of the history of the struggle for freedom in the midst of insurmountable difficulties of being far inferior. It justifies the story of one of the most famous last stands in history.

'300 'Is a stroke of comic style of the other Frank Miller's graphic noveltransformed into a cinematic work "Sin City", and Snyder adds a new color in various film, this new offering. You can feel the presence of the comic, while at the same time, you could feel his unique cinematic power without arrogance and without stooping to either intentionally or not puffery. The colors are strong and contrasting. The grains are ancient and warriorly. The special effects are not hard. His cinematic magic palpitations and ultimatelyamazing that you will absolutely every piece of what you see on the screen to use. Other than a particular shot that I personally find the rock structure, with a little fake King Leonidas climbing up to the priests and oracles to be fair, everything seems so real in cinematic terms. The film uses carefully slow-motion, CGI, chroma, production design, cinematography, and acting ability to enforce his relentless visionary style. It is clearly the mood, it aims to shares - without exaggerationits stylistic treatment.

The graphic battle sequences, the in-your-face bloody moments, sexuality and nudity ... all of them work without any trouble and exploited. Nailed by the sight of dead bodies in the form of the tree was on the wall with a pile of dead bodies as a trap to the splendid scene of the oracle dances with the highest grace, style, but used completely built to make passionate love scenes, the king and Queen, every scene and thought ofand certainly well done. The fight scenes are very impressive. They never move. You never look fake. They are stylistically-action with the right doses of drama and comedy between filled. Among the severed heads and limbs, dressed in the bare-chested, heavily muscled Spartan soldiers in their bright red coats, warrior helmets, Greek shields, spears, swords and move with extreme grace, speed, agility, and consistency. Battle after another, they give performances in a big way. Each of themso does pretty much on the screen while they are in compliance with their righteous king in their last life and death struggle for freedom.

Gerard Butler as King Leonidas power catapulted him as one of the classics of film history in the making royalty payments. King Leonidas is the best of the soldiers of Sparta. And he was trained to be the near-perfect warriors into an army of near-perfect warriors. He makes a multidimensional figure king, whose love for his country, his soldiers, his son,and his Queen, is his best weapon to live and die in the battlefield – with all the glory. Butler is the film’s ultimate driving force. He is able to give an impressively commanding and emotionally compelling performance that becomes even more and more commendable upon the thought that more than half of the film has been shot in chroma. His beloved Queen Gorgo portrayed by the equally delivering Lena Heady perfectly complements him as a completely equal partner. Personally, I can say that Heady as Queen Gorgo character is one of the best parts ever constitute an actress - to the point that a female viewer can really see themselves inspired by their struggle and their uncompromising warrior heart.

The Spartan elite force of David Wenham's The Storyteller Dilios, Captain Vincent Regan, Michael Fassbender, Stelios is all to the rest of the other characters in the film, which all contribute to the success of this work. They make valuable accounts andDimensions of the graphic novel to bring some life to the movies. On the Persian side, just like most of his people and troops, Rodrigo Santoro's Xerxes is highly stylized. The characters are made to be completely overrated licenses for creative. And they are therefore working to live as an ensemble with the treatment of the director.

The mainstream side of this film with such pomp and educated, that the uncompromising tastes of discerning viewers to see still holds his groundSplendor. Some of its aspects can be found throughout is reminiscent of other classics such as "Lord of the Rings", including the traitor Ephialtes, the Judas of Thermopylae, who looks like Gollum, on the Persian guards looking like the Orcs, talk King Leonidas and his captain as Legolas and Gimli, while on the battlefield, but still possible under such minor charges, the difference in treatment for this film actually marks his own fame.

The music and sound design effectively create aClassic meets modern printing with the conventional score with the electric energy of rock music combined. The landscapes, old buildings, the costumes, the props, they work together and they all made in addressing the specific impact they come - will be completed to a magnum opus is now immortalized in film history.

The violence and death in this film is not the kind that can make a person want to be, at the sight of sick of it. And are the morale of the film isdeeply moving and laudable. King Leonidas is simple, honest, loving and firm as a king should be. He values honor, respect and fairness. He advises the Queen Gorgo as prudent as a wife and a queen. Personally, I can no longer by one of the lines of Queen Gorgo noticed about her, like all other women the right to their beliefs, as men say, as response to an insulting remark made by a Persian, with its justification that women like men Speakers and aboveMen can only Spartan women give birth to real men. In addition, Queen Gorgo makes all the sacrifices on the home front, facing the realities of life to bite, just to fulfill their duty to serve their country. While all of the waves of the fighting going on in that part of her husband home again fully and completely convinced they have some advice from men to send the army to rescue full support of the king of Sparta, and tyranny. In fact, the film, as well as women can be equally strong will and fight like theMen in battle.

'300 'Is clearly a work of fiction inspired by the story. It is not a historical lecture, but a magnificent cinematic masterpiece that used his creative license to a near perfection.

Sparta is a house of the soldiers. And the film actually shows their warriors in the heart of their culture. And highlight the lessons in history, she brings great honor. And hopefully can, when he will witness a totally enjoyable audio-visual journey, the film viewed in a perspectivethat the heads of the audience will be opened to the problems that presents, should also, above all, as a wise king live by his principles for the sake of his people under the internal struggle for the right to resistance against which he was born to defend . And give the film tries to deceive as the deeper thoughts of faith in yourself and that should the external forces in the mind, heart work, and the soul of every man, and in this case, who was born with a guide andWarriors.

'300 'Is a compelling film you see over and over again. After seeing the press screening, I am determined to see him again not to come to their regular appointment.

'300 'Is the movie the warriors. It fires the soul with breathtaking bravery. Once I did, it leaves the audience with the aura of the straight on the battlefield. It is the kind of film that a viewer is left to his seat was with a feeling of power - less than one witness somethinggrand.

"Prepare for Glory!" read the caption on posters advertising the movie 300, which was released on March 9, 2007.

The movie, based on the graphic novel 300 by author Frank Miller and illustrator Lynn Varley, is another success in a long tradition of epic battle films. What makes the film exceptional, however, is not the plot as much as the revolutionary cinematography and graphic design.

The whole movie was shot in digital backlot, which means that the background is composed entirely of bluescreens, like those used during a weather report on television. These groundbreaking techniques, similar to those used in the movie Sin City, also based on a graphic novel by Miller, create stunning visual displays.

300 depicts the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. between the Spartans and the Persians. In the beginning of the film, King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) of Sparta, is approached by a messenger from King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) of Persia.

Xerxes presents Leonidas with a seemingly generous offer. If Leonidas is willing to come under Xerxes leadership, Xerxes will not attack him. Leonidas, knowing that he has the most skillful, well-trained soldiers in the known world at his back, refuses. Thus, the battle ensues.

At one point early in the battle, a Persian emissary comes up to Leonidas and warns him that "a thousand nations of the Persian Empire descend upon you! Our arrows will blot out the sun!"

Stelios (Michael Fassbender), one of Leonidas's most valuable soldiers, replies with a grin, "Then we will fight in the shade."

This scene exemplifies the polar opposite mindsets of these two armies. One will use strength, the other skill.

Behind the scenes, several plots are constructed against Leonidas. Theron (Dominic West), a corrupt, power hungry member of the council, and Ephialtes (Andrew Tiernan), a misshapen man rejected by the army, both betray Leonidas. On the other hand, Leonidas's men and his wife, Gorgo (Lena Headey) are incredibly loyal and go to great lengths to aid their king.

Unfortunately, history is oftentimes at the mercy of the author or screenwriter's creative license and 300 is no exception. The film is sprinkled with historical inaccuracies.

For instance, there has been some controversy about how the Greek, Spartan, and Persian cultures have been portrayed. The screenwriter did, however, capture the intensity and harshness of the Spartan society, the predominately pastoral nature of Arcadian society and the use of slaves as soldiers in the Persian society.

Also, the film makes it seem as if the Spartans were the only people personally threatened by Xerxes and that their soldiers were the main ones to fight the Persian army. While they were a crucial force in the battle, an alliance of Greek city-states (of which Spartan was one) also banded together to fight.

On the other hand, it is true that although the Greek army was overwhelmingly outnumbered by the Persians, they were the superior fighters. Despite these historical inaccuracies, the film is still thoroughly entertaining.

Keep in mind that the film did in fact earn its R rating. It includes multiple scenes of graphic violence, one sex scene and some nudity. Violence is to be expected because of the film's subject matter and although the sex scene is not essential to the plot, it does help to illustrate the intense bond between the king and queen.

In conclusion, as you sit in the theater waiting in anticipation for the movie to begin, remember the advice of the poster and "Prepare for Glory!"

300 tells the story of Spartan King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and his 300 Spartan warriors as they attempt to save Sparta from being taken over by the thousand nations of the Persian Empire led by the God-King Xerxes. The story is told as a narrative by the only one of the 300 to survive, Dilios (David Wenham), to a new army of 30,000 about to take on the invading Persians. It begins by telling of Leonidas’s upbringing as a Spartan boy up until a Persian messenger brings him a message from Xerxes that he should surrender or see all Spartans turned to slaves. Leonidas refuses and goes to see the Ephors, corrupt old monks, whom he must convince to allow him to go to war. Bribed by Persians, the Ephors refuse Leonidas’s request. Sly Leonidas decides to “go for a walk” and take 300 Spartans with him as a personal guard. They march to the sea to confront the invading Persian armies and engage in a massive battle for Spartan freedom.

I must say, 300 is one of my 3 favorite films of all-time. Zack Snyder is a magician when it comes to making movies. The way he turned a graphic novel into an almost perfect big-screen representation is nothing short of incredible. Snyder successfully made an action-packed blockbuster that can appease the masses that also serves as a flawlessly beautiful piece of art. The art of 300 is mind-blowing. Every shot of the film sans one was filmed on a massive soundstage, yet the entire film is insanely beautiful. Most movies that are mostly CGI have a fake feel to them, but 300 manages to bypass this. The color scheme and overall stylization of the film is amazing.

One thing that Zack Snyder does better than anybody is fight scenes. Where most people do a ton of quick cuts to make the action look rapid and intense, Snyder does a lot of long, slow-motion shots to show the art of the fight. The most memorable fight scene in 300 is when Leonidas single handedly dismembers a dozen Persians in one single shot. They come one after another and he tears them apart without a single cut in the film being made.

Whenever a film is made that is an adaptation of something from another medium, a comparison has to be made. In most cases, adaptations are flawed in some way, but 300 is literally a shot-by-shot recreation of the graphic novel. Zack Snyder was able to remain perfectly faithful to the graphic novel while also creating his own world for it to take place in.

The acting in 300 isn’t perfect, but it’s good enough not to distract from the art of the film. Butler portrays Leonidas perfectly and Lena Headey is amazing as Queen Gorgo. Rodrigo Santoro plays a good but disturbing Xerxes. Vincent Regan and Michael Fassbender are also very good.

The story is great and the acting is good, but what makes 300 amazing in my eyes is is the art. 300 is like nothing I have ever seen at the movies. If the entire plot was removed and the characters were left undeveloped, it would still be beautiful. It wouldn’t be good, but it would be beautiful. The fact that Snyder was able to combine amazing CGI, beautiful stylization, a good story, and good characters makes 300 a near perfect film in my opinion. 300 gets a 10/10.

lloydinspace // January 9, 2010 at 1:30 am | Reply

duuuddddeee, you left out one key component of the film that makes it great. the fight choreography! it’s a ballet that makes violence look beautiful lol. you don’t see movies like that anymore. it’s all about quick cuts and blurred flailing of limbs now with some explosions. with 99% of the film being in cgi, they could have definitely been lazy in that department, but they weren’t. that’s really something that kept me glued to the screen and my jaw in my lap.

Frank Miller's 300 is a beautifully rendered picture book come to life about one of the most celebrated battles in history, wherein a small band of Greeks defended a narrow passage against the onslaught of a Persian army in the Battle of Thermopylae.

Weaving ancient and legendary history into its own modern myth, 300 is an exciting heroic fantasy filled with unforgettable characters and indelible images.

The creators of 300 have produced a film whose look owes more to the sensual impressionism of Frank Frazetta than the stark, comic-book style of Frank Miller, but Miller's grim storytelling and his celebration of sacrifice in a cruel world make 300 uniquely his own.

By giving free rein to creative art direction and character development over historical accuracy, the film is more akin to The Lord of the Rings than to Ridley Scott's Gladiator or the 1962 film The 300 Spartans which greatly influenced Frank Miller as a boy. The appearance of David Wenham, who played Faramir in The Lord of the Rings movies, adds to the visual reminders.

The battle scenes are choreographed and presented in real-time and slow motion like a deadly ballet, and blood spatters freely throughout like crimson in a Jackson Pollack.

Zack Snyder, the director and co-writer of 300, is best known for his 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead. Not surprisingly perhaps, 300 contains a number of grotesqueries that also could have been at home in a horror film, including the leprous Ephors, keepers of a beautiful young oracle, and the historical character of Ephialtes (whose name in Greek means 'nightmare') who appears here as a horribly deformed outcast with dreams of fighting for Sparta.

Gerard Butler is perfectly cast as King Leonidas, the embodiment of the warlike ideals practiced by the Greek city-state of Sparta. Lena Headey (The Brothers Grimm, The Cave) is finally given a role in a movie worthy of her, and she is outstanding as Leonidas' proud and devoted queen.

300 was created in the manner of Frank Miller's Sin City with the majority of scenes filmed with live actors in computer generated environments. It's another brilliant success in a revolutionary style of filmmaking.

Description2 HOURS OF EXCLUSIVE EXTRA CONTENT – Prepare for Blu-ray glory and immerse yourself in the 300 experience as never before possible.

Like Sin City before it, 300 brings Frank Miller and Lynn Varley’s graphic novel vividly to life. Gerard Butler (Beowulf and Grendel, The Phantom of the Opera) radiates pure power and charisma as Leonidas, the Grecian king who leads 300 of his fellow Spartans (including David Wenham of The Lord of the Rings, Michael Fassbender, and Andrew Pleavin) into a battle against the overwhelming force of Persian invaders. Their only hope is to neutralize the numerical advantage by confronting the Persians, led by King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), at the narrow strait of Thermopylae.

More engaging than Troy, the tepid and somewhat similar epic of ancient Greece, 300 is also comparable to Sin City in that the actors were shot on green screen, then added to digitally created backgrounds. The effort pays off in a strikingly stylized look and huge, sweeping battle scenes. However, it’s not as to-the-letter faithful to Miller’s source material as Sin City was. The plot is the same, and many of the book’s images are represented just about perfectly. But some extra material has been added, including new villains (who would be considered “bosses” if this were a video game, and it often feels like one) and a political subplot involving new characters and a significantly expanded role for the Queen of Sparta (Lena Headey). While this subplot by director Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead) and his fellow co-writers does break up the violence, most fans would probably dismiss it as filler if it didn’t involve the sexy Headey. Other viewers, of course, will be turned off by the waves of spurting blood, flying body parts, and surging testosterone. (The six-pack abs are also relentless, and the movie has more and less nudity–more female, less male–than the graphic novel.) Still, as a representation of Miller’s work and as an ancient-themed action flick with a modern edge, 300 delivers. –David Horiuchi

* The epic graphic novel by Frank Miller (Sin City) assaults the screen with the blood, thunder and awe of its ferocious visual style faithfully recreated in an intense blend of live-action and CGI animation. Retelling the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, it depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his ma

DescriptionThe epic graphic novel by Frank Miller (Sin City) assaults the screen with the blood, thunder and awe of its ferocious visual style faithfully recreated in an intense blend of live-action and CGI animation. Retelling the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, it depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his massive Persian army. Experience history at swordpoint. And moviemaking with a cutting edge.Amazon.comLike Sin City before it, 300 brings Frank Miller and Lynn Varley’s graphic novel vividly to life. Gerard Butler (Beowulf and Grendel, The Phantom of the Opera) radiates pure power and charisma as Leonidas, the Grecian king who leads 300 of his fellow Spartans (including David Wenham of The Lord of the Rings, Michael Fassbender, and Andrew Pleavin) into a battle against the overwhelming force of Persian invaders. Their only hope is to neutralize the numerical advantage by confronting the Persians, led by King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), at the narrow strait of Thermopylae. More engaging than Troy, the tepid and somewhat similar epic of ancient Greece, 300 is also comparable to Sin City in that the actors were shot on green screen, then added to digitally created backgrounds. The effort pays off in a strikingly stylized look and huge, sweeping battle scenes. However, it’s not as to-the-letter faithful to Miller’s source material as Sin City was. The plot is the same, and many of the book’s images are represented just about perfectly. But some extra material has been added, including new villains (who would be considered “bosses” if this were a video game, and it often feels like one) and a political subplot involving new characters and a significantly expanded role for the Queen of Sparta (Lena Headey). While this subplot by director Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead) and his fellow co-writers does break up the violence, most fans would probably dismiss it as filler if it didn’t involve the sexy Headey. Other viewers, of course, will be turned off by the waves of spurting blood, flying body parts, and surging testosterone. (The six-pack abs are also relentless, and the movie has more and less nudity–more female, less male–than the graphic novel.) Still, as a representation of Miller’s work and as an ancient-themed action flick with a modern edge, 300 delivers. –David Horiuchi

“In the Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC an alliance of Greek city-states fought the invading Persian army in the mountain pass of Thermopylae. Vastly outnumbered, the Greeks held back the enemy in one of the most famous last stands of history. Persian King Xerxes lead a Army of well over 100,000 (Persian king Xerxes before war has about 170,000 army) men to Greece and was confronted by 300 Spartans, 700 Thespians and other Slave soldiers. Xerxes waited for 10 days for King Leonidas to surrender or withdraw left with no options he moved. The battle lasted for about 3 days and after which all 300 Spartans were killed. The Spartan defeat was not the one expected, as a local shepherd, named Ephialtes, defected to the Persians and informed Xerxes of a separate path through Thermopylae, which the Persians could use to outflank the Greeks. Written by cyberian2005″

Trivia: King Leonidas’ individual body count numbers 33 Persian soldiers, 1 Persian messenger and 1 wolf. This number does not include Persians that he shielded off during battle sequences.

Goofs: Crew or equipment visible: During the celebration scene when the Persian ships are crashing into each other due to the rough seas you can see a crew member in the middle of the crowd. His hair looks combed and looks like he is wearing a button down shirt.

I somehow missed the hype on this one, and the trailer really didn'texcite me, but I got a chance to see an advance screening and the otherreviewer here who said "It blew me away" hit the nail right on thehead.

I generally hate going to the cinema - preferring to wait until the DVDor HD-DVD are available because I'm fed up of shoddy prints, poor soundsystems, ignorant members of the public with their ringing phones, latearrivals, noisy popcorn etc. My home system is so much better. But notfor this movie! It needs to be seen on the big screen (preferably anImax - I'm hoping to catch it a second time on IMAX) with a good soundsystem. The images are consistently breath-taking, the sound isstaggeringly good and note-perfect throughout, and Gerard Butler isbarely recognisable as the guy from "Dear Frankie" (a great,under-rated movie) and "Phantom of the Opera".

Highly recommended. I've given it a 9, and I don't think I've given amovie that high a score for over a year (and I average about 6 movies aweek). This makes "Gladiator" look like a cheap kid's cartoon.Posted by easy media at 10:12 PM

In 480 BC, the Persian king Xerxes sends his massive army to conquer Greece. The Greek city of Sparta houses its finest warriors, and 300 of these soldiers are chosen to meet the Persians at Thermopylae, engaging the soldiers in a narrow canyon where they cannot take full advantage of their numbers. The battle is a suicide mission, meant to buy time for the rest of the Greek forces to prepare for the invasion. However, that doesn’t stop the Spartans from throwing their hearts into the fray, determined to take as many Persians as possible with them.

VERDICT

Ah 300, where do we begin here? The film is based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller retelling the story of the Battle of Thermopylae. So queue the film to have men running around in skirts, buffed like they’re on steroids and chopping each other to pieces. To quote Joan River’s ‘This is as close to gay porn’ as a cinematic experience can get.

Gerard Butler stars in the main role and shines through as Leonidas, the film giving his break into a wider audience and ending up now in several romantic comedies and a Guy Ritchie flick. Another actor who got their break because of this film is Michael Fassbender who plays Stelios in the film. On the other side of the table is Dominic West, playing the role of the corrupt politician Theron who does a decent enough job and then there’s Rodrigo Santoro playing the Persian King Xerxes, the villain of the piece, and does well and it’s just shocking that this guy played one of the most hated characters on LOST (Paulo, believe it or not) and holds his own whenever he’s on throughout this film.

Filled with loads of violence and set plays of fights, it sometimes can be style over substance in terms of storytelling, though it is still an entertaining ride.

I bought this film. It seems an odd one to buy really but sometimes I find myself in a DVD shop because A: I have burnt every bridge with every dvd rental facility and B: I feel impulsive and they are so cheap these days. So yes, I bought this & Metal Skin & Raging Bull. Rad. I love this film. How could you not love it? I was a fan of Sin City and was keen to see Frank Miller's next graphic novel brought to life. The film tells the story of the battle of Thermopylae. Led by King Leonidas, 300 Spartans defend their beloved Greece. An army of Persians led by the ridiculous King Xerxes (who is straight out of a Right Said Fred video clip) approach and plan to enslave all of Sparta and expand their Persian borders. Plot wise, that's it. And that's all we need people. The rest is just blood thirsty highly stylised and totally RAD fighting. I dare you to watch it without gritting your teeth once or making some sort of sound like OMFF or OUCH or YEAH! Michael Fassbender is a standout (in a sea of Abs) and David Wenham does Aussie proud (aside from a rather weak voiceover). I'm not a Gerard Butler fan but he does Leonidas well, I think he needs to drop romantic comedies and pop back into the gym. I like Zack Snyder and look forward to his future films. His other graphic novel adaptation The Watchmen was brilliant. I watched that in Budapest. It was dubbed inHungarian which was interesting. I'm sure i'll watch this again. It'd be a good one to pop on after a night out with a kebab. I'd also feel compelled to work that kebab off the next day with the '300 workout' which is completely brutal.

300 is known as a fictional story based around the Battle of Thermophylae in which 300 Spartans led by the ferocious King Leonidas made a heroic stand against the overwhelming Persian invading army led by Xerxes. Leonidas’ refusal to bow down to Xerxes sets the events in motion, with the Spartan three hundred ready to willingly give up their existence to keep Sparta clear of the clutches of Xerxes and his invading force. The action sequences ended up being particularly awesome as I chose to watch 300 online and thus kept rewinding to view all of the gore over and over.

As the film makes clear ideal location allowed Leonidas along with his men the ability to efficiently dispense with a large number of hapless Persians while not suffering many losses of their own. Even a great elephant along with a rhino happen to be absolutely no match for the well-oiled machine that is the Spartan army. In a particularly crazy move, the Spartans make use of deceased Persians to shore up a fortification, essentially creating a hurdle to hide right behind and psyching out the Persian army at the same time. All the while the men realize there’s not really a probability in hell they’ll come out of the battle alive. But as Leonidas explains after they rendezvous soldiers who want to join the cause, his warriors are soldiers thru and through and know no other life than one of guarding their Sparta.

Even though the motion picture fills the majority of its running time with just about naked warriors sporting 6-pack abs along with testo-sterone to spare talking over battles or actually engaged in them, Snyder wisely decided to commit a reasonable time frame explaining the Spartan tradition and focusing on Sparta’s Queen Gorgo. The relationship between the King and Queen is enhanced upon from the graphic novel, with Queen Gorgo pictured being a strong leader on the same standing as her husband. Nonetheless I only had the opportunity to watch 300 online and have not really read the novel.

There’s plenty of blood and limbs being sliced off and some of the best choreographed combat sequences on film, however it’s almost all stylized. Snyder’s use of stop-motion to capture certain instances in the course of battle helps the motion picture attain a painting come to life tone. Still for all the dismemberments and killings, there are some passionate instances in between Leonidas and Gorgo tossed in to balance it out (not to mention a smoking hot sex scene which is reason enough to make anyone want to watch 300 online again).

Quite simply, there’s a little something for action film freaks as well as those more into drama and romance to make it worthwhile to watch 300 online. And let’s be completely honest here. Merely the view of Butler and the talented cast of personalities who make up the Spartan army (including David Wenham, Tom Wisdom, Vincent Regan, and Michael Fassbender) running around in ‘codpieces’ which barely conceal the family jewels and little else is purpose enough for almost all women to want to check out the movie.

Frank Miller's 300 is a beautifully rendered picture book come to life about one of the most celebrated battles in history, wherein a small band of Greeks defended a narrow passage against the onslaught of a Persian army in the Battle of Thermopylae.

Weaving ancient and legendary history into its own modern myth, 300 is an exciting heroic fantasy filled with unforgettable characters and indelible images.

The creators of 300 have produced a film whose look owes more to the sensual impressionism of Frank Frazetta than the stark, comic-book style of Frank Miller, but Miller's grim storytelling and his celebration of sacrifice in a cruel world make 300 uniquely his own.

By giving free rein to creative art direction and character development over historical accuracy, the film is more akin to The Lord of the Rings than to Ridley Scott's Gladiator or the 1962 film The 300 Spartans which greatly influenced Frank Miller as a boy. The appearance of David Wenham, who played Faramir in The Lord of the Rings movies, adds to the visual reminders.

The battle scenes are choreographed and presented in real-time and slow motion like a deadly ballet, and blood spatters freely throughout like crimson in a Jackson Pollack.

Zack Snyder, the director and co-writer of 300, is best known for his 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead. Not surprisingly perhaps, 300 contains a number of grotesqueries that also could have been at home in a horror film, including the leprous Ephors, keepers of a beautiful young oracle, and the historical character of Ephialtes (whose name in Greek means 'nightmare') who appears here as a horribly deformed outcast with dreams of fighting for Sparta.

Gerard Butler is perfectly cast as King Leonidas, the embodiment of the warlike ideals practiced by the Greek city-state of Sparta. Lena Headey (The Brothers Grimm, The Cave) is finally given a role in a movie worthy of her, and she is outstanding as Leonidas' proud and devoted queen.

300 was created in the manner of Frank Miller's Sin City with the majority of scenes filmed with live actors in computer generated environments. It's another brilliant success in a revolutionary style of film-making.

Sunday, January 30, 2011Showdown #1: Manliest Movie Ever?Time for the first ever Showdown!! Since this is going to be a long one, I'll keep the introduction brief. Simply put, occasionally whenever the lightbulb above my head lights up, I will pit movies, actors or even characters against another one of similar nature.

So this time around we are going to look at two of the "manliest" movies ever made, you can almost see testosterone dripping around the corners of the screen. But out of these two, which one is the manliest of them all? Let's find out!

Exactly twenty years apart, which will reign supreme?

The case for Predator [1987];

Premise: A team of six battle-hardened commandos was sent on a rescue mission somewhere in Central America. Or so they thought... Little that they know that it will not be as simple as "get in and get out". They were actually being hunted by a creature from outer space whose raison d'etre is to hunt and kill.

Just How Manly is it?

#1 The CastBefore we go elsewhere, have a look at the cast;Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham and Bill Duke.You can almost give Predator this title based on that alone.

Now, right off the bat, we can already see glimpses of just how badass this movie is going to be. A chopper lands, and the door opens...

... Revealing half of the squad, who happens to be some of most muscular men working in the movie industry at the time. But that's only half of the surprise. One by one they got off board, all but one.

Nope. He had to light a cigar first, and he did it with style. Note that despite the limited space inside a chopper, he still managed to put up both of his legs, each the size of a timber. This is especially impressive if you consider that only minutes ago, this chopper was full of six guys - four of which are over at least 100kg. That's right, he was so manly, even the laws of physics decided to let this one slide.

Then the team made their way to the headquarters and Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) met his old friend, Dillon (Carl Weathers) and they greeted each other in the manliest fashion.

Mid-air arm wrestling!! W00t!With those two arms combine, they amass a hell of a lot more muscle mass than the entire pack of werewolves in the Twilight series. Don't believe me? Heck don't take my word for it, these guys spend 90% of the movie exposing as much skin as they possibly can.

Trust me, this is just a glimpse to it all... Which brings us to the next point;

#2 Feats of Manly LabourThe whole point about making a manly movie goes beyond making them look the part, you also have to actually show the audience that these guys are the real deal.

Now, the guys have been trying to fight the Predator the "movie-commando" way - which means it involves very little subtlety. They had very little success since the Predator used the jungle to his advantage. So the guys decided to show that Earthlings are no pushover.

In case it isn't clear what they're doing; They are getting the trees to bend low enough to make a trap for the Predator. That's kind of like telling the tree to forget that it has roots, and telling the laws of gravity to buzz off.

It doesn't end there. As they wait for the Predator to come, Sgt. Mac (Bill Duke) showed us that while all men at some point in their lives had cut themselves shaving...

This shaver ain't man enough for me!... None of them never bled this much and snapped a shaver in two while they're at it.

And we can't forget Billy (Sonny Landham) because you see, while almost everyone who died had the advantage of looking at the Predator in the eye, Billy was the only one who went;

"Screw this, I'll fight you Mano-a-mano..."He tossed his gear into the river below, armed only with a machete and a huge set of balls, he just stood in the middle of the tree-bridge with a look on his face that says, "Come get me, motherf*cker..."

Sure, he gets killed off-screen a second later. But that's beside the point. Billy here just showed us that if you're going to die anyway, you might as well go out with a roar.

Then it all goes down to Dutch who showcased some feats of manly labours himself;

Not shown are plenty of other shots showing him making some makeshift weapons using whatever he can find. But you get the idea. Is he doing this to prepare for a getaway? Heck no! That wouldn't be very manly wouldn't it?

He's making another stand, only this time he is without anyone to command.

Now, put into perspective that by this time, he had already knew that by covering himself up with mud, he is practically invisible in the Predator's eyes. He could have just make a run for it. Instead, what did he do?

You ever played the cat-and-mouse game with someone who wants to add your skull in their trophy collection? That's exactly what Dutch here did. After a spectacular sequence of one-on-one battle, Dutch wins almost by luck. Technically he didn't manage to kill the Predator, but he did enough damage to make the Predator resort to something I can only describe as an Atomic Hara-kiri.

Needless to say, Dutch made it out of the explosion alright. Imagine the amount of manliness on this guy, he made it out unscathed, without any sort of disorientation and best of all, he had enough sense to stick a cool pose for the chopper that came to his rescue.

What took you so long? You missed the best part!#3 Big Toys for Big BoysI think I've put a lot of emphasis on how big these men are (or were...?). So it's only natural that big boys need big toys, and this movie does not disappoint in that department either.

Blain (far right) carries a g*&amp;^%$# minigun!They have big guns and they're not afraid to use it.

Indeed they're not...The above shows only 10% of the total action.

#4 Homoerotic UndertoneSafe to say, this movie has almost none. But of course, if you seek to fuel extra testosterone into a film, one can't help but include homoerotic undertones. In the case of Predator [1987], it's only limited to six sweaty, beef-cake of a man in close quarters.

Although I can't help but look for the things that will add a notch or two to the Homoerotic-o-meter by taking getting some screenshots and take them out of context altogether. Like these two;

Till death do us part...

err... Okay, that was inappropriate.

#5 Tough Guy TalkThere isn't an action movie made in the 80's and 90's that didn't include some badass quips. Pretty much all of the dialogue in the movie were meant to showcase just how menacing these guys can be, and it was almost like they were constantly sizing each other up.

Blain : "Bunch of slack-jawed faggots around here. This stuff will make you a god damned sexual Tyrannosaurus, just like me..."Poncho : [holds up his grenade launcher] "Yeah, strap this on your "sore ass", Blain."

Sgt. Mac : You're ghostin' us, motherf@#$%!. I don't care who you are back in the world, you give away our position one more time, I'll bleed ya, real quiet. Leave ya here. Got that?

So that's pretty much all of the arguments for Predator [1987]. But we're not done yet, let's have a look at;

The Case for 300 [2007]

Premise: Based on the true events surrounding the Battle of Thermopylae. The advancing Persian army was so vast in number, it rendered all efforts to defeat it futile. That is, until they had to face the 300 men of Sparta, led by the infamous King Leonidas.

Just How Manly is it?

#1 The SpartansPlease note that I am basing this on the movie depiction of Spartans, so that rules out anything from the actual civilisation that we may not be so agreeable with. For example, I know that the actual 300 Spartans didn't actually fight wearing only a helmet, a cape, some leather underpants and shin armours. I know that Leonidas never actually broke out of the phalanx formation and fought in slow-motion, killing each Persian in a way cooler than the last. Bear in mind that we're talking about the Manliest Movie Ever.

For me, the best thing about 300 is that the movie showed us that you don't have to be a misogynist to be manly. Just like their real-life counterpart, these guys are the toughest of the toughest, yet they held their women in high regard.

So the question from here on is, just how manlier can anyone get from these guys?

For cryin' out loud just look at them! If you remember the hype surrounding the movie, you'd remember the amount of attention and emphasis given to the training of the actors themselves. Gerard Butler in particular was given so much attention, and rightfully so.

He went from already looking lean and muscular, as seen here in Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life [2003]...

... To a 100% certified beefcake.

Now, the Spartans may look comparatively smaller than those in Predator [1987], who are pretty much bodybuilders, but according to what I've read these guys are just as strong, of not stronger than those who earned their mass in the gym. This is because the training that the Spartans went through were meant to emulate how warriors of the old days strengthen and condition themselves; which means none of those muscles were just for show.

But they did give us a heck of a show through;

#2 Feats of Manly LabourThe movie pretty much began by showing us that these Spartans are the real deal. In fact, you can somehow summon it up based on the film's most iconic scene.

Yeap, the famous "THIS... IS SPARTA!!!" cry followed by a badass front kick.

The whole idea of 300 is to show just how tough these guys are, so much that it made the ancient Persian army look like a bunch of pussies and nancy boys by comparison. Well, what else would you expect from them since they worshipped a king who looked like this;

Yes, yes I know that the real Xerxes did not stand over 7 feet tall, and he looked nothing like a bedazzled Dhalsim, from Street Fighter. Again, we're talking about the movie. Now, anyone would agree that you are only as good as the people you serve, which means the Persians doesn't stand a chance as Leonidas and his men sliced their way through them like a hot knife through butter.

That didn't work. So the Persians launched a blood-curdling attack, a shower of arrows that actually blotted out the sun.

But did our Spartans pee in their leather underpants? Heck no, they merely laughed it off under those shields. After that's over, Leonidas showed both his men and the Persians why he is the manliest of man. He stood up and snapped all of the arrows in two, pretty much saying;

"What, are you f@&amp;#$%!' kidding me?"

Soon after, the Persians had another bright idea. If the might of man can't stop these 300, then perhaps beasts can get the job done. They sent forth a rhino complete with its own customised battle armour...

... yet the Spartans didn't even flinch. They maintained their position, and Astinos (Tom Wisdom), the captain's son decided to have a little javelin throw event. This crowd could use a little entertainment. Sure enough, the rhino only managed to kill a couple of Persians, but didn't even reach the Spartans.

But the Persians still have a couple of tricks up their sleeve. You'd be wrong to think that an action movie could do without an explosion, apparently the Persians had themselves some old school grenadiers.

I don't know why they even think that would work, remember what happened next? Stelios (Michael Fassbender) leaped behind enemy lines like he was nightmare incarnate...

... and managed to make those ancient grenades work against the Persian. BOOM BABY!!

Speaking of Stelios, remember that guy? Let's rewind, otherwise we'd miss some more feats of manly labour by Stelios and a dozen other Spartans.

So there was this scene where the Spartans built a wall using their bare hands, stones and Persian scouts as the mortar.

This time around they wore nothing but leather underpants, with every inch of their tight body glistening under the sun. Don't tell me that's unmanly. Trust me, when a guy has a body like that, he'd be inclined to do even the most menial of tasks bare-chested.

By the way, this is Stelios. He may not be as big as Leonidas, but you do not want to get on his bad side.

Because he can get within striking range on a single leap, chop your hand off and snigger at any threat of retaliation.

It would appear that the Spartans would have won the battle, if it weren't for a deformed douchebag ratting them out. They did lose, but not without a fight. Three things happened here,

One; Leonidas had a clear shot, he could have killed the arrogant Xerxes if he wanted to. But what's worse than death? That's right, you let them live in shame.

Two; Leonidas' captain showed why he's the King's right-hand man. As their final stand was coming to an end, he charged into enemy lines and got stabbed by a spear and a sword to the gut.

But you won't kill him that easy. No, he killed two of the Persians who thought they had checkmated him. Then he grabbed that spear and impaled himself further so he can get closer to the last one. One roar later and that spearman was dead.

It would take several more stabs including two to the spine to take down the captain.

Three; Leonidas showed us yet again what a real man should be like, you can be tough as nails yet soft at heart like a plush toy. His last words was not a roar or a quip directed at Xerxes. At his last moment, he thought only of his wife. With teary eyes, he said "my love...", barely a whisper.

Still even though he's dead, it was Leonidas who got the last laugh, even in death. Somehow he positioned himself so well to ensure that he would not die in an unsightly pose.

Mimicking the famous Christian imagery, Leonidas died in the Christ-like pose, centuries before Christianity came into existence. Again, I know this is a movie.

Furthermore, his death became a rallying call for all Spartans, and the movie closes with the entire Spartan army charging towards the Persians. If you think the 300 was already a death machine, imagine what happens when the Persians fought these;

Oh, you are so dead.

#3 Big Toys for Big BoysNow, plenty of other period piece make use of spears, shields and swords. But none of them ever made such a great use of them, it was such watching the Spartans slicing and dicing away the Persians. Other than that, there really isn't much else to say about this. So let's move on.

#4 Homoerotic Undertoneay ya yai... This is where 300 takes the cake because there has never been a movie that walks such a fine line between masculinity and homoeroticism, yet it walks away leaving both feeling satisfied. I really don't need to say much about this either, I think. Once you put a homoerotic twist to the movie, everything simply becomes so gay.

Muscular men in leather speedos marched to that guy playing that double-flute thingy...Is it hot in here, or is it just me?Singing, screaming, jumping and hugging in the rain...You're so tense...

#5 Tough Guy TalkAgain, this is another case of art imitating life. Most of the badass lines in the movie were not made up. Sure, they made some minor changes as to who said what, but even the real-life Spartans were known to make smart and witty quips. So perhaps you can even say that Spartans were pioneers of the whole business with tough guy talk.

Xerxes : You Greeks take pride in your logic. I suggest you employ it. Consider the beautiful land you so vigorously defend. Picture it reduced to ash at my whim! Consider the fate of your women!Leonidas : Clearly you don't know our women! I might as well have marched them up here, judging by what I've seen.

Persian : A thousand nations of the Persian empire descend upon you. Our arrows will blot out the sun!Stelios : Then we will fight in the shade.

Well, I'll be damned. This has got to be a record on FPBM! I never thought I would write this much for one post. But I had great fun writing it, and I hope you had fun reading it.

Without further ado, the winner of this Showdown is...

Reasons1. The kind of awe that 300 achieved using 300 men, Predator did it with nine actors.

2. Predator has no subplot, it was a pure showcase of manliness.

3. The characters in Predator are comparatively more three-dimensional. In 300, only Leonidas can lay claim to that.

4. The Predator himself is one bad motherf@#$%!, while the Persians were mostly cannon fodders.

5. Predator was made at the time when CGI was used sparingly.

6. Then there is the question of the weapons used. Now, if you were to say that the Spartans were superior because they used only spears and shields, while the guys in Predator had automatic assault rifles, you also have to put into perspective that they used the best weapons available in their time. Even so, those high-end weapons didn't work on the Predator, so remember what Schwarzenegger did? He resorted to a makeshift spear and a bow and arrow made by hand. We all know how that ended. He fought the toughest creature in the universe using "primitive" weapons and lived to talk about it.

So there you have it. If you have some dispute as to the outcome of this Showdown, feel free to drop a comment or two. I'll be on a lookout for more "manly" movies, right now at the top of my mind is Fight Club [1999]. Will Predator [1987] still reign supreme then? We'll find out next time!

300The Moviehttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/300poster.box.jpg00 is a fantasy tale based on the Battle of Thermophylae in which 300 Spartans led by the fierce King Leonidas (a snarling and sexy Gerard Butler) made a heroic stand against the overwhelming Persian army commanded by Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro, unrecognizable as the larger-than-life, pierced and golden androgynous creature). Leonidas' refusal to bow down to Xerxes sets the events in motion, with the Spartan 300 ready to willingly giving up their lives in order to keep Sparta free from the clutches of Xerxes and his invading horde.

Strategic placement allows Leonidas and his men the opportunity to efficiently dispense with thousands of hapless Persians without suffering many losses of their own. Even an elephant and a rhino are no match for the well-oiled machine that is the Spartan army. In a particularly stunning move, the Spartans use dead Persians to shore up a wall, effectively creating a barrier to hide behind and psyching out the enemy at the same time. All the while the men know there's not a chance in hell they'll come out of the battle alive. But as Leonidas explains when they meet up with soldiers who want to join the cause, his men are soldiers through and through and know no other life than one of defending their Sparta.""

There's plenty of blood and body parts being chopped off and some of the best choreographed fight scenes on film, but it's all stylized. Snyder's use of stop-motion to capture specific moments during battle helps the film achieve a painting come to life tone. Yet for all the dismemberments and killings, there are a few passionate moments between Leonidas and Gorgo tossed in to balance it out (not to mention a smoking hot sex scene). In other words, there's a little something for action film freaks as well as those more into drama and romance. And let's be totally honest here. Just the sight of Butler and the talented cast of actors who make up the Spartan army (including David Wenham, Tom Wisdom, Vincent Regan, and Michael Fassbender) running around in 'codpieces' that barely conceal the family jewels and little else is reason enough for most women to want to check out the film.

As brought to life by Butler, Leonidas is a passionate man loved by his soldiers and devoted to his Queen and Sparta. Butler makes Leonidas into a fully fleshed out character and not just a fighting machine. Headey's equally terrific as the tough Queen Gorgo. In fact Snyder's entire cast does an admirable job of bringing ancient history alive onscreen.

Taking his cue directly from the pages of Miller's graphic novel, Snyder has created a movie that works on many different levels. Mesmerizing and breathtaking, 300 is something you have to experience for yourself.

In the movie '300' Sparta was shown to be invaded by Xerxes and his Persian army. The huge hit gave audiences a new insight into that part of the history which was rarely delved in before. Zack Snyder said that the motive of the Spartan army, as shown in the last movie, was to fight till death with fighting as the main focus of the movie. In case of the battle led by Themistocles, Zack Snyder said that there is a lot more politics involved and a he has to get the approval of many people. He also mentioned a relation with Leonidas but did not reveal anything more about the plot.

The word Spartan has a firm place in the English language as a synonym for "austerity", "ruggedness" and "discipline". However, if we're to pierce the mists of time in order to actual see what the Spartan psyche was really like, a more appropriate term might be "belligerent, ultra-violent nutter". At least that is what the message is from Zach Snyder's 2007 Frank Miller adaptation 300. Miller's comic book brings to life one of the most iconic battles of the ancient world, and the battle that has shaped Spartan identity ever since; the Battle of Thermopylae, in 480 bc.

Touted, at the time, by it's creators as "Sin City meets Gladiator" 300 tells the tale of King Leonidas' stand against the overwhelming might of the Persian army, lead by their enigmatic leader Xerxes. However, like most tales of ancient battles that have been adapted into comic book or movie form, the film is as removed from reality than Jedward on an LSD trip. Though there is some truthful elements to the story, Miller decided to agree with the maxims of Tony Wilson and print the legend (queue Elephants the size of buildings, Ogre-eqsue evil henchmen and a bard with a goat's head). The historical accuracy is more off target than your average Stormtrooper at the shooting rage, but as this IS a stupidly over the top slice of machismo, that can be forgiven.

Visually the film is stunning. Snyder has remained remarkably faithful to the source material. Shots are framed as if moving from one page of sumptuous illustration to the next, with Spartans framed against the backdrop in iconic silhouettes, such as when forcing Persians of a cliff into the raging sea below, replicating the frames of the book. The film sticks to a limited palette of Crimson and Bronze, colours which suitably represent a) the comic and b) Spartan personality. However, Snyder's love of shooting the action as moooooooovingreaaaaaallyslooooooowly to breakneckfast becomes tiresome at times, but the visual treat of seeing Persians being despatched in such stylised ways quickly overcomes this. More importantly, the cinematography of the battle scenes creates the belief that the Spartans are hard actually arsed bastards, capable of dispatching the hordes of men arrayed before them

Subtly is not something to expect from 300. The narrative is painted in such broad strokes as to neglect any real character development, period detail or motivation. Characterisation is as exactly 2d as you'd expect from an action flick. Leonidas himself is stubborn and noble, but deadly when crossed; very much a metaphor for Sparta itself. Gerard Butler is impressive and believable as Leonidas; a perfect leader of men who is able to mix up the wisecracks and the inspiration convincingly, due to Butler's own charisma. The Spartans themselves, with more six packs on display than an Australian off license, give off the air of stubborn, brick s$#! houses satisfyingly. Curious though, was the cast of Michael Fassbender in such a small role, wasting his talent and charisma that was put to such good use in Inglorious Basterds.

Ultimately, 300 is more of a visual treat than anything substantial, and in a way this makes 300 a sterling comic book adap. It also has a key ingredient missing from adaptations of late; It's Fun. Yes it's loud, bloody and obnoxious, intercut with sex and nudity, but 300 is campy and over the top enough to forgive it's flaws, and be taken for what it is.

If you're struggling for entertainment on a Saturday after, then 300 is the perfect film for you.Posted by Alec Malloy at 09:26Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook

Having recently written a review of another Zack Snyder film, Watchmen, various people had made comments about 300. I have seen 300 before, and wasn't too enamoured of it, but I wanted to watch it again with an open mind, so I duly added it to our Love Film list. To my surprise I really enjoyed it.

300 is the story of 300 Spartan warriors led my King Leonidas (played by Gerard Butler's teeth), and their brave stand against the hordes of the Persian army fighting under Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), a self-proclaimed emperor-god. I will make it clear now that I have no idea how historically accurate the film is; I suspect there may be a nugget of truth there, I really don't know. What I do know is that some of my previous niggles with the film were a bit unfounded.

One of my complaints was David Wenham; I just didn't think that he was narrator material. I think perhaps I was being a bit harsh. He doesn't have a striking, imposing voice, but it acts as a good foil for Gerard Butler. Also it is rather the point that he has a storyteller's voice, as he is asked by Leonidas to return to Sparta to tell the story of how the 300 stood against thousands. Indeed, at the climax of the battle when Leonidas' helmet and shield are cramping his style, I thought Wenham's narration was utterly convincing; it vaguely conjured up memories of Maximus' "Husband to a murdered wife..." line, but not quite.

Another of my complaints had been some of the effects, specifically the background effects. Actually, most of the time these are perfect; the crashing sea as the Persian navy comes to grief, and the background of the senate is pretty good. The only thing I didn't think was great was a couple of the scenes that were clearly filmed outside on a sunny day (Leonidas and Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) saying farewell in a field of wheat - Gladiator influence) as their faces are very well lit. However, in the scene the sky is very overcast so the whole setup looks incongruous. I thought so anyway. I realise the whole film is shot high contrast to give the comic-booky feel, those few scenes stuck out though.

Anyway, enough with the minor niggles, the film is great! Zack Snyder shows he has real verve and style with the way he filmed this, everything about it is dynamic. The whole film has a very stormy feel to it thanks to cinematographer Larry Fong, and all of the battles look brilliant; gladly the slow-mo isn't overused and works really well. Gerard Butler is great as King Leonidas. I think maybe perhaps he could be accused of overacting at points: Tonight we dine in Hell! We will fight in the shade! Prepare for Glory!, but it's all really part of the fun.

King Leonidas played by Gerard Butler's teeth!

So despite my earlier misgivings, I really enjoyed 300, perhaps it's one of those films I should own, as I can foresee wanting to see it again, for some pure entertainment. Great main character, great fights, brilliantly filmed. Just one more thing: can someone please explain to me how I managed to recognise Michael Fassbender by his teeth?! A quick check on IMDB and yes, Fassbender is in this! By his teeth? I think I've only seen him in Inglorious Basterds, by no means am I that familiar with him! Strange.

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 3/11/07 w/ Additional Edits.

One of the most historical battles ever was the Battle of Thermopylae where a million Persians fought against several groups of small armies during the Persian war. One of those armies was a group of 300 soldiers from the Greek state of Sparta known as the Spartans. Fighting the Persians to the death, the Spartans fought with such might that despite being dead to the last man, they did however weaken the Persians. Despite this setback, the story of the Spartans and their king Leonidas was legendary. In 1998, comic book writer Frank Miller, known for his Sin City graphic novels, collaborated with illustrator Lynn Varley for a graphic novel of this legendary battle which he called 300. The cult success of the graphic novel was huge that after Miller's recent success of the first Sin City film with Robert Rodriguez. He was approached to be involved for another adaptation of his work for 300.

Directed by Zack Snyder with he a script he co-wrote with Kurt Johnstad and Michael B. Gordon, 300 tells the legendary story of the Spartans and King Leonidas fighting against Xerxes and his Persian army. Using the same visual technique that was done for Sin City and with Miller's involvement, Snyder brings a visual interpretation true to Miller's vision as well as his graphic, violent style. Starring Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Dominic West, Michael Fassbender, Rodrigo Santoro, Andrew Tiernan, and Vincent Regan. 300 is a glorious, visually amazing film from Zack Snyder that is true to the brilliance of the Spartans.

Before he became king of Sparta, Leonidas (Eli Snyder at 7/8 & Tyler Max Neitzel at 15) grew up to become a Spartan. An elite army that is known for their high-fighting skills and refusal to retreat or surrender. When he became King Leonidas (Gerard Butler), he leads Sparta with wife Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) and son Pleistarchos (Giovani Cimmino). Then one day, a Persian messenger (Peter Mensah) arrives to bring a message from Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) who wants land and water from Sparta. Leonidas refuses as he and his fellow Spartans kill the messenger and his men. Leonidas decides to call into the council of elder priests and the Oracle (Kelly Craig) for guidance about war against the Persians. Leonidas is refused by law but along with his 300 troops including Captain Artemis (Vincent Regan), his son Astinos (Tom Wisdom), Stelios (Michael Fassbender), and Dilios (David Wenham). Leonidas against the wishes of elders and the Spartan council led by Theron (Dominic West), move forward with his small troops of 300 soldiers as he says goodbye to his Queen.

Upon their way to the area of Thermopylae known as the Hot Gates where they meet a troop of 7000 Greek Thespians led by Daxos (Andrew Pleavin). Daxos is disappointed in the small army Leonidas has but the king insists that his army are born to fight. Along the way, Leonidas meets a deformed, hunchback named Ephialtes (Andrew Tiernan) who wants to join but because of his deformity, Leonidas politely refuses. Back in Sparta, Queen Gorgo learns that if Leonidas is to fall, she needs more troops as a councilman (Stephen McHattie) suggests that the only way to get more troops is to get the support of Theron. The Persians arrive but they underestimate the 300 fighting Spartans as they're beaten badly. Xerxes sends more of his troops including some of his elite men but again, the Spartans continue to stand their ground. Xerxes finally meets Leonidas where he promises wealth and power but the king refuses as he continues to fight the Persians to the death.

Back in Sparta, Queen Gorgo tries to convince Theron for help only to learn of his corruptive ways. In an attempt to talk to the council, she exposes a dark secret to the council. After days of fighting, Leonidas and his Spartans start to lose some soldiers as Leonidas sends Dilios a message to the council for help. Dilios departs while the Spartans leans that Ephialtes has betrayed them in exchanges for riches, women, and comfort from Xerxes. Despite this setback, the Spartans do what they do best against the remaining yet overwhelming large army of Persians as they fight to the last man.

While the film is based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller, like Sin City, Zack Snyder chose to be faithful to the Miller style of dialogue and visual storytelling. Even in its most graphic depiction of violence. Yet, Snyder has created a film that isn't just faithful to Miller's novel but also brings back the legendary tale of the 300 Spartans in the Battle of Thermopylae. While the film's graphic violence and battle sequences aren't clearly for everyone, Snyder and his team create an amazing, dream-like quality that is inspired by Miller's story. Taking the same filmmaking style of Sin City by creating images on bluescreen with not many sets built, the result is truly one of the most visually exhilarating films ever made.

The story, which is based on legends, is truly amazing of how a small army continue to defy something as totalitarian and evil as Xerxes while going against the odds to fight to the death. The subplot of Gorgo's political challenges gives the film a bit of a balance from the action to the dramatic scale in which reveals that women, even a queen can have power in order to help their own land. While the script is really faithful to Miller's stylized dialogue, it's Snyder's direction that really holds it together. Snyder no doubt, wants to make an entertaining and unique film where the battle sequences are just exciting to watch with full adrenaline that gives even the supporting characters moments to shine. Snyder even balances the action with some wonderful drama in Gorgo's story on how she tries to deal with the council. The overall approach in Snyder’s direction and his visual style prove that this film is truly one of the year's best.

Cinematographer Larry Fong creates a wonderfully colorful yet visually stimulating to the film from its bright, sepia color to some of the film's battle sequences along with bits of grain in order to maintain a sense of authenticity to the film. Editor William Hoy brings style to the film, notably in the battle sequences where the frame speeds are slowed to convey the action of the fight. Production designer James D. Bissell and his team of art directors do excellent work in recreating the square hall of the Leonidas home as well as the priests building. Costume designer Michael Wilkinson does great work in creating the look of the Persian uniforms and the dresses of Queen Gorgo.

Visual effects supervisor Chris Watts does amazing work in recreating the look of Sparta with its colorful imagery and the number of Persian soldiers along with the look of graphic violence true to the Miller visual style. Sound designer Derek Vanderhost and sound editor Scott Hecker also do great work in the sound to convey the tense atmosphere and intensity of the battle sequences. Music composer Tyler Bates creates a wonderfully intense score filled with orchestral arrangements mixed in with heavy metal guitar drones to bring excitement to the action as well as momentum. Bates' wonderful score work is dreamy during the dramatic sequences while the battle is just amazing.

Then there's the film's amazing cast that includes such notable small performances from Stephen McHattie, Kelly Craig, Peter Mensah, Eli Snyder, Tyler Max Neitzel, and Giovani Cimmino. Tom Wisdom is great as the young yet energetic Astinos who fights like a warrior while having some great, humorous moments of dialogue with Michael Fassbender as Stelios, who is just as cool and such a bad*ss. Those two together would make one hell of a tag team. Andrew Pleavin is excellent as the cautious Daxos who is willing to fight but is unable to understand the madness of the Spartans. Andrew Tiernan is wonderful as the creepy, deformed Ephialtes whose desire to become a Spartan is only tempted by Xerxes powers after being rejected by Leonidas. Vincent Regan is excellent as the veteran Captain Artemis whose love of being a Spartan and father to Astinos proves to be the heart of a warrior who has more to fight for. Dominic West is excellent as the conniving Theron who seeks power and is willing to do anything to maintain his power in the council.

Rodrigo Santoro has an amazing yet overwhelming presence as the godlike Xerxes who has an exotic look as Santoro really owns the role with such restraint and elegance that it's hard to root against a man like him. David Wenham, who also does the narration, is great as Dilios who is another loyal warrior who is forced to tell the story while having to leave the group he's fought with. Lena Headey is just simply amazing as Queen Gorgo with her enchanting beauty and love for her husband. It's Headey's performance that is truly the most dramatic as she tries to convince the council and Theron while dealing with her role as a woman, who is a lot tougher than she looks. It's a fantastic performance from the British actress who remains underrated in mainstream circles. Gerard Butler gives an awesome performance as King Leonidas where despite being over-the-top, it's worth it to play a character like Leonidas. Butler brings a bit of sensitivity and heart to the character but overall, Butler sells himself as a badass and is a real leader. It's an amazing performance from Butler who should become a star.

While it's not as visually cool as Sin City, 300 is still an amazing, violent, exotic film from Zack Snyder and company. While serious history buffs might not take this film very seriously, it does improve on what previous historical films like Troy and Alexander failed to do. Plus, it's far more accurate thanks to Frank Miller's novel and how he based his story on legends. After the brilliance of his 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead, Zack Snyder proves himself to be an amazing director who can belt out great moments of violence and excitement to the audience. In the end, 300 is one hell of a film to go see.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011300Alright, kids. Today I'd like to talk about 300 (2006). I actually liked it. Now I just need to throw this out there...

It surprises me that so little women watch and/or like the movie 300. I mean, come on! It's practically made for women! A whole bunch of super ripped guys running around in leather speedos and capes!?!? HELLS YES. Oh, and PS: Those weren't ab suits they were wearing. That's right ladies and gents... those were real abs. Ohhh baby...

REAL!ALSO REAL!HOT!

Though I'll admit, at the beginning of the film I was like: Gerard Butler Ewww put some clothes on! Then that thought process changed and I was left scratching my head, thinking Gee, the Spartan Army sure is great, but wouldn't it be clever of them to invest in some armour? But by the end of the film an army of men in speedos, capes and sandals just felt natural.

I really like this.Right, so the movie 300 is about King Leonidas, who led his army of 300 Spartans against The Persian "God King" in the battle of Thermopylae. That's right, 300 Spartans against over a million soldiers on the other side. If you just look at the numbers, that's like the equivalent of the Edmonton Oilers vs The Vancouver Canucks.

Just look at the points, folks.

But, much unlike the Oilers, the Spartans were bred for war, and their 300 soldiers were like super men, easily crushing the opposing army.

This... is.. STEROIDS!!!I'd also like to mention that the Persian "God King" dude was like, really creepy.... not only am I nearly positive they used a voice transformer to make him sound like a man, but I'm pretty sure he was a drag queen in his spare time. Androgynous!But he's actually played by Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro. Ready to have your mind blown?

...

No, seriously. Are you ready?

OMG WTFMind = BlownI know. I'm still recovering. Right, so pretty much King Leonidas leads his army of Manly-men without the council's permission. On their way to Thermopylae, the Spartans meet up with the Arcadians and some other Greeks, who decide to help unite against the Persians. Now I'm going to mention, I was amused with the thought of the Arcadians. I liked to think of them as Tree Nymphs who scampered along the goat path in robin-hood like gear. Because really thats what they looked like next to the Spartans. The most bad-ass Tree Nymph you're ever going to seeBefore the fight, Leonidas meets the Hunch Back named Ephialtes, who asks to join the Spartan army. The answer was no. And for a perfectly viable reason.

I don't have a witty caption for this So being told 'No' by Leonidas really pisses off this disfigured Ephialtes, so he runs over to the Persian God King and exposes the Spartan Army's weak spot.

Jerk.

So who stars in Zack Snyder's epic Green Screen adventure, you may ask? Well of course Gerard Butler as King Leonidas:I'm petty sure he redefined 'man'but also David Wenham (he played Faramir in Lord of the Rings):Obviously I'm the pretty one.and MICHAEL FASSBENDER (!!!!!!!!), who played that reeeeaaallly hot British Undercover spy in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds. YEEESSSS. But srsly pls get a haircut. So yeah. It's a solid cast. It's comprised mostly of really hot dudes, though you'd never recognize them under all that dirt and grime and sweat.

I know right

Ok ok ok ok.... so let's take a look at what I imagine Zack Snyder's checklist for this film looked like:

[X] Dudes[X] Speedos[X] Abs[X] Violence [X] Gore[X] Awesome Metal Soundtrack [X] Instantly quotable linesDude... is Zack Snyder gay?!It's a possibility.You know, my favorite part of the movie was the fact that the Spartans just NEVER QUIT. Never. I think that is very admirable. I know, you're sitting there pointing at the computer screen screaming "LIAR! You like seeing Fassbender in a cape and speedo!" And to that I say: Yes, dear reader. I do like seeing Fassbender in a speedo. But that isn't my favorite part of the film. I honestly loved the team-work behind the army. They worked as system, which, like I mentioned in the Kevin Zegers Sexy Saturday, I really like. I was thinking during one of the heavy metal battle sequences: You know, someone really aughta name a hockey team after these guys! That would be really cool.

Anyways, after seeing this action packed thrill ride of a movie, I was actually tempted to watch Sucker Punch.

A whole bunch of us should get together and film a re-make! My back yard could totally be Thermopylae. Hells Yes.

This will be the first of, what I am hoping will be, at least a monthly series focusing on the first three films in a director’s career. The focus will be on their feature film work and how I decide who and when I don’t really know. Maybe I will coordinate it with director’s upcoming releases or maybe when I just get the feeling of digging into someone’s roots. The series will allow me to review some older films and maybe even see how far some directors have come over the years. So with out further ado…and SPOILER WARNING for all three films…

300 – 2006

From 300 on, if you look at any of Zack Snyder’s films you could very easily pin it as a Zack Snyder film. Snyder’s visual as is unique and spectacular and this is where we get our first taste of it. Adapted from Frank Miller’s graphic novel of the same name, which is in turn a reimagined telling of the Battle of Thermopylae which is where 7.000 Greeks held off Xerxes Persian army of 100’s of thousands. Miller narrows his story down to 300 lone Spartan soldiers led by King Leonidas to defend The Hot Gates of Thermopylae. In history, the 300 Spartans were a line of last defense that stayed behind to defend the rear of the evacuating larger force after their rear flank was compromised by a traitor. If you have seen the film, most of these pieces make it in, but Miller and Snyder elevate the Spartans to demi-god like levels of heroes that must take on some nasty mythological like beasts in Xerxes army almost single handedly. The results are spectacular swords and sandals action fare that can’t be found anywhere else.

Before we get to those brilliant action scenes though, Snyder takes us into the head of King Leonidas and gradually builds the anticipation towards the battle at The Hot Gates. Many action directors would feel the need to give the audience little action beats sprinkled every few minutes or so but Snyder builds his characters and makes us fall for these bare chested beasts of Sparta as they march to almost certain doom. Once the action starts it doesn’t really relent, but the slow build up allows the film to build its own mythology and mystique around these 300 Spartans so that when the killing starts we believe every beat of it.

The character designs of the villains in the film are something to marvel at and the Spartans are left to ward off a number of interesting attackers. From elephants to rhinos, giants and immortal samurai types, or endless hordes of Persian slaves and warriors the variety is endless. Inside the camp of Xerxes reveals some of the strangest and most creative creatures, my particular nasty favorite being an executioner with bone saw arms from the elbow down; grotesquely awesome.

It is the look of the film that really made people stick their butts in the seats though. Hyper stylized and looking unlike anything thrown up on the screen, the film looks classic and new all at once. Utilizing the most modern of technology at the time, shot on blue screens and prominently using a filming technique called speed ramping, the film has a visual style that can’t be found in reality. Snyder concocts some amazing action beats and captures them beautifully on his camera in a number of extended single shots that have to be seen to believe. The film’s over the top nature never feels like too much and you feel the joy the Spartans take in slaughtering the hordes of attackers that fall at their feet.

Even the bits back in Sparta, away from the fighting, serve as a compelling narrative as Lena Headey stars as the Spartan Queen as she battles the politicians in an attempt to get them to support her King in hopes of her husbands return. Dominic West plays a fine and sleazy villain and is a nasty foil to Headey’s Queen. The cast as a whole is sharp in the few speaking roles for the Spartans with Gerard Butler turning in an iconic and star making turn as King Leonidas. Butler commands the screen and his men like a King should and we don’t hesitate to believe him for even the slightest of moments. David Wenham, Vincent Regan, and Michael Fassbender all get great moments as well as the main Spartan warriors we get to know behind Leonidas and the handle the physical and dramatic aspects of the role with ease. Lastly, Andrew Tiernan and Rodrigo Santoro both turn in some bizarre and odd performances that both work wonderfully and are characters unlike anything you have ever really seen in a picture before; great work all around.

The film’s ending is also a particularly brave one in that it kills off 299 of the film’s 300, including our hero, in a brave and triumphant last stand that feels entirely right for the film. Even though it is an exaggeration, the film serves as an impressive portrait of what a small force of skilled fighters accomplished in reality almost 2500 years ago.

300 is written off by many just a mere 5 years later as all flash and no substance but I beg those detractors to go back and look at the film again. Snyder’s patience to build the film’s world and characters is what made the action that much more thrilling and exciting and memorable. Snyder could have very easily sent us down an action packed adventure from start to finish but instead creates and action packed character piece around a man who has to make sacrifices for the greater good; even if that costs him his love and his life. There is a compelling and heartfelt through line here that a lot of people miss under all the swords and spears attacking. A huge step up from film one to film two visually, narrative wise, in ambition and just about any other category a filmmaker can have an affect on. But somehow Snyder improves even further in his next film.

I come bearing a lot of babble about two comic-book-based movies featuring Michael Fassbender and one Shakespeare reinterpretation starring James McAvoy. Ready your shields for the onslaught.

300I've had to think long and hard about what to say about this movie, and here's what I think I've boiled it down to: I f#%@#&! loved it.

This is as much a surprise to me as to everyone else. True story: while on vacation at home, friends I've known since high school kept looking at me as though I had three heads every time I said things like, "Ooh, yeah, like in that scene in 300 . . . " and "This is SPARTA." (Erm, because I apparently kept saying those things?) But I have reasons why I love it! Reasons other than the fact that it features Micheal Fassbender in nothing but little Greek undies.

1. It's a story about storytelling.I didn't notice this at first -- I was dinking around on my computer during the scene of Dilios talking to the men around a campfire. But it all came together for me at the end, when we see Dilios again, calling his leagues of men to war, to finish what Leonidas and the 300 had so valiantly started. That's when I really fell in love, when I realized that all those grotesque portrayals of Persians and their fantastical beasts and hedonistic ways were, essentially, propaganda to fuel his army's ire on the brink of battle. The enemy is inhuman because Spartans are wholly man. The enemy revels in excess because Spartans live sparely. And if 300 Spartans can make the god-king bleed, 10,000 leading 30,000 Greeks can surely defeat him. Brilliant. It's also so interesting to me that this makes Dilios, hero and Spartan though he may be, an unreliable narrator (because of course the battle happened, but of course it didn't happen exactly like this). And finally we have a movie with voice over narration that furthers the plot and provides characterization!

2. It's inherently cool.The Spartans are the Western archetype for the ideal soldier (nay, for masculinity writ large) -- physically strong, unflinchingly brave, loyal, lethal, expert. There's no getting around how thrilling it is to see that brought to life. It's also a (kinda) true story of impossible odds and willing sacrifice. Plus, it's so damn quotable, and the Spartans kick a LOT of ass.

3. It's beautiful.I know I'm five years behind the times on appreciating the groundbreaking graphics, but they truly are stunning, and I find them even more impressive after watching The Making of 300 and seeing the actors shouting and clashing surrounded by nothing but green screens and realizing just how much of this very absorbing visual world is completely computer generated and how strikingly similar to the original graphic novel the most breathtaking shots are. I love the lush, swirling red capes and ominous yellow skies, the deep shadows, and the torrential sea of a thousand ships. I love the slow motion and how it enables us to appreciate the physicality of battle, the muscles and grit and weight and blood. And I don't lament historical inaccuracy one whit -- so what if this isn't precisely how the Spartans fought or quite what their weapons are made of? The fight choreography is phenomenal.

And, all right, yes, fine:

4. It features Michael Fassbender in nothing but little Greek undies.You guys, seriously, HE'S IN PANTIES. And he's insanely, sinfully sexy -- all sinew and bronze and bare skin. I've never felt such an immediate and overwhelming desire to lick a man's -- heh -- well, everything (though perhaps particularly thigh) in my entire life. It's like an actual physical impulse, that's how hot he is. To my extreme interest and delight, Fassebender's character Stelios is responsible for much of the comic relief, troop enthusiasm, sassy gay subtext, and the f#%@#&!. coolest. scenes, as well as, surprisingly, the emotional tenor of the ending. (Which, according to the DVD commentary, he filmed while still partially drunk from a celebration the night before. Oh, Michael Fassbender.) Of course there is plenty of other eye candy in the movie, but Fassbender was my fixation of choice, and rightly so, I think. Just in case I'm not the last person on earth to be seeing this movie for the first time, here, have a sneak peek of the hotness.

So, yes. I loved it. And we've definitely got a how-naked-is-he? rating of 99% because that scrap of cloth doesn't leave much to the imagination.